Heavy metal removal by isolates from domestic and industrial waste water

Rapid industrialization has released industrial contaminants,particularly heavy metals into water bodies. with regard to removal of heavy metals,bioremediation is an advantageous technique which is comparatively safer and cheaper. this study focused on industrial zones of marathwada region which have various types of industries. it was attempted to evaluate the potential of heavy metal removing microbial flora from industrial effluent and domestic sewage for bioremediation. six species were considered as potentially heavy metal removing isolates. these isolates included pseudomonas spp. (dmb5 (cu),achromobacter spp. (mpb2 (ni),pseudomonas spp. (mpb3 (cu),exigoubacterium spp. (mpb2 (hg),pseudomonas spp. (pw4 (cu),uncultured microbacterium (mpb3 (ni). all these isolates were able to remove toxic heavy metals present in waste water within incubation period of 24hr,48 hr and 72 hrs respectively. icp-aes analysis revealed that the incubation period of 72 hr was best suited for heavy metal removal by isolates. hence,the study concluded that bacterial strains have shown high degree of heavy metal resistance and could be explored as candidates for waste water bioremediation processes particularly heavy metal contaminated water bodies.